Stock-invoicer.



M. B. WILSON.

STOCK INVOIGBR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1910.

997,1 68. v Patented July 4,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

MIB. WILSON.

STOCK INVOIGBR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1910.

997, 168. Patented July 4,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO. WASHINGTON. D. c.

MOSES B. WILSON, 0F GOLVILLE, WASHINGTON.

STOCK-INVOIGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4., 1911.

Application filed September 19, 1910. Serial No. 582,687.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, Mosns B. VILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colville, in the county of Stevens and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Invoicers, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple and exceptionally handy device for use in stores, wholesale houses, and similar places for the purpose of facilitating the taking of inventories of stock.

It is highly advantageous in mercantile establishments, factories, or the like to prepare a complete invoice of stock within a few hours, and the present invention is designed for the above purpose, comprising a case or cabinet adapted to house in any suitable manner a plurality of leaves or supporting members upon which the invoices may be made out, the invention em bodying certain features of construction and arrai'igement of parts as will be more fully pointed out, and which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section in side elevatioinpartly in section, and showing the arrangement and mounting of the leaves upon which the invoicing is done; Fig. 3 is a detail section of the base plate carrying the leaves and showing the spring actuating means adjusted to permit the leaves to rest in operative positions; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the base plate to which the leaves are pivoted; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the sliding actuating plate cooperating with the springs; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the base plate aforesaid.

Specifically describing the invention and referring to the drawings, 1 designates a case or cabinet of any suitable form and having a base 2 in which may be arranged a drawer 8, or any number of drawers according to the size of said base and the desire of the user of the invention. Mounted in the upper portion of the case 1 are a plurality of supporting members or leaves 4, any number of which may be provided dependent of course upon whether the invention is utilized in a large or small business. The leaves 4 may be made of any material sufliciently stiff to prevent bending when said leaves are moved downward into the dotted. line positions shown in Fig. 2, and in which positions the leaves are operative to permit the invoicing to be done.

While the leaves 4 areillustrated as con nected with pivot rods 5 located at their lower ends, it is contemplated that the leaves may be movable pivotally about a vertical axis should such be desired in carrying out the invention to best advantage.

Secured to the lower portion of the case 1 by fastenings or any similar means is a base plate 7 to which the leaves 4 are directly attached, the pivot rods or members 5 of the leaves being mounted at their ends in flanges 7 at the opposite edges of said base plate. If desired the base plate 7 may be held in place by means for readily detaching thesame, such as fastenings 7" whereby said plate and the leaves 4 might be bodily removed from the cabinet along with the invoicing data which will be carried by said leaves.

The invoicing data will preferably be written on sheets of paper, celluloid, or the like, the latter being attached to the inner surfaces of the leaves. The entire stock of a store, or a certain department of said store, factory or other mercantile establishment may be listed upon the invoicing sheets applied to the leaves 4 and at the upper ends of said leaves, suitable indexing means, shown at 8, comprising such words as Department 1 etc., will be provided so as to permit the operator to readily note which leaf carries the invoicing data of a certain department. The indexing means 8 is merely designed for classifying the invoicing in an obvious manner.

hen it is necessary to refer to any item upon the invoicing sheets carried by the leaves 4, the one of said leaves which is to be referred to will be grasped by the operator and pulled downwardly into a position such as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Springs 9 are provided for each leaf 4 whereby to normally hold said leaf in the inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Where, however, it may be desired by the operator to make a number of entries upon the invoicing sheet carried by a certain leaf, it will be apparent that it is advantageous that some means be provided, however, permitting the invoicing leaf being used to remain in an approximately horizontal position temporarily. It is for the last mentioned purpose that I provide some such means as the sliding plate 10, movable in a suitable guide 11 at the central portion of the base plate 7, said plate 10 having openings 10 to receive the lower free ends of the springs 9, while the upper arms or ends of the springs shown at 9 bear against the outer lower end portion of the leaves. A suitable lever or actuating member 12 is pivotally connected with the lower end of the plate 10 and normally the inner end of said lever engages in an opening or recess 13 in the base plate 7 so as to hold the plate 10 at the downward limit of its movement as in Fig. 2, said plate thus coacting with the inner ends of the springs 9 to hold the springs under tension, and cause the leaves 4 to normally remain in the uppermost inoperative positions. To permit the leaves 4, however, to rest temporarily in approximately horizontal positions, facilitating the invoicing or listing of goods, the lever 12 is disengaged from the plate 7 at 13 and relieves the springs 9 of their tension by permitting their inner ends to move upwardly as shown in Fig. 8, the leaves 4 bein free under such conditions to remain in said approximately horizontal posit-ions.

Another function which may be ascribed to the device 10 resides in the fact that when the plate 10 is moved upward, the pressure of the upper arms of the springs 9 is relieved with respect to the leaves 4, whereby the invoicing sheets, if removable sheets are used may have their lower edges inserted between the upper arms of the springs 9 and the leaves 4. The upper arm of each spring '9 comprises a transverse or horizontal portion, the ends of which are bent downwardly and coiled around adjacent pivot rods 5 and then extended from the coiled portions into operative connection with the plate 10. The; above formation of the springs permits the upper arms to have a broad bearing against an invoice sheet or similar article, upon which the invoicing may be placed, subsequent movement of the part 10 causing the springs-9 to clamp against the detachable invoicing sheets.

It is to be understood that the detail construction of my invention as above described and illustrated in the drawings may be modified in various ways so long as the spirit of the invention is retained in regard to the practical operation and general construction of the parts employed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a stock invoicer, the combination of a case, a plurality of leaves pivotally connected therewith and adapted to receive invoicing data thereon, springs co-acting individually with the leaves to normally hold the same in an inoperative position, and a device for placing said springs under tension or relieving them of operative tension with respect to the leaves.

2. In a stock invoicer, the combination of a case, a plurality of leaves pivotally connected therewith, springs embodying arms engaging the leaves to hold the same in an inoperative position, said springs having end portions extending opposite to said arms, and a sliding plate engageable with the last mentioned end portions of the springs to place the same under or relieve the same of tension for the purpose described.

3. In a stock invoicer, the combination of a case, a base plate arranged thereon and having a guide at its central portion, an opening being formed in the base plate adjacent to the lower end of the guide, pivot rods mounted on the base plate above the guide, a plurality of leaves carried by said rods, and movable into and out of the case, whereby the leaves are inoperatively and operatively positioned respectively, springs encircling the pivot rods and having upwardly projecting arms engaging the outer sides of the leaves aforesaid, said springs having inwardly projecting arms extending toward the guide aforesaid, a plate slidable in the guide and provided with openings receiving the inwardly projecting arms of the springs, and a lever pivoted to the base plate and having an end adapted to engage the opening therein, whereby to lock the sliding plate in a position placing the springs under tension.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MOSES B. WILSON.

Witnesses:

HERBERT GRIGER, GEO. E. W. O. GARVEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

